Newtons (cookie) facts for kids
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| Owner | Mondelez International |
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| Introduced | 1891 |
Newtons are a type of cookie made by Nabisco. They are famous for their sweet fruit filling. The most well-known Newtons have a fig filling. These cookies are made using a special process that puts the fruit paste inside the dough. Their unique shape is easy to spot. Many other companies now make similar fruit-filled bars.
Contents
History
How Newtons Began
The Newton cookie was invented by a baker named Charles Roser. He lived in Philadelphia. Roser likely got his idea from "fig rolls." These were baked goods brought to the U.S. by people from Britain.
Roser used a special machine. It was invented by James Henry Mitchell. This machine could push out fig jam and cookie dough at the same time. It made a long, continuous roll of cookie.
Becoming Part of Nabisco
Roser sold his recipe to the Kennedy Biscuit Company. Mass production of the cookie started in 1891. This happened at the F. A. Kennedy Steam Bakery. The plant manager, James Hazen, named the cookie "Newton." He used the name of a town near Boston, Newton, Massachusetts.
The Kennedy Biscuit Company was one of eight bakeries. These were bought by William Moore in 1889. He created the New York Biscuit Company. This company then joined with the American Biscuit Company in 1898. Together, they formed the "National Biscuit Company." This company is now known as Nabisco. The Newton recipe and the special machine became part of the new company. The cookies were then trademarked as "Fig Newtons."
In 1991, Nabisco celebrated the cookie's 100th birthday. They held a party in Newton, Massachusetts.
Name Change
Since 2012, the word "Fig" has been removed from the product name. The cookies are now just called "Newtons." Nabisco made this change for a few reasons. One reason is that Newtons have been available in many other flavors for a long time. These include strawberry, raspberry, and blueberry. Another reason was that some people thought figs were old-fashioned.
How Many Newtons Are Made?
In 1991, Nabisco was making about a billion Newtons each year. The cookie brought in $200 million in sales. As of 2018, Newtons were Nabisco's third best-selling product. More than 700 million bars were sold each year.
Different Kinds of Newtons
For many years, only the original Fig Newtons were available. This changed in the 1980s. As of 2012, Nabisco makes several kinds of Newtons. Besides the original fig filling, you can find versions with apple cinnamon, strawberry, raspberry, cherry, blueberry, and mixed berry. There are also Fig Newtons made with 100% whole-grain. You can also find a fat-free version. Smaller versions called Fig Newton Minis have also been introduced.
See also
- Fig cake
- Fig-cake (fruit)
External links
- Newtons brand page, from KraftFoodsCompany.com
- Fig Newton jingle lyrics, from NabiscoWorld.com
fr:Figolu
